8th wonder of the world

A shot of the Sigiriya Rock in Sri Lanka. For those who don’t know, this fortress rock was declared the 8th Wonder of the World by Unesco. Legend has it that the network of water gardens at the base and a palace at the top of the rock (370m above sea level) was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th Century. Not only is the symmetry of the water gardens an amazing sight when viewed from the top of the rock but one wonders how a civilization lived on top of the rock at that time without any access to lifts or escalators. Carved notches on the sheer face of the rock served as steps. Another feature are the frescoes – paintings of damsels made on the walls of the caves of the rock.